Tag: Peacekeeping

After seven years in Haiti, it is time for the U.N. peacekeeping mission to either significantly refocus its mission or close its operation and leave the business of governing and reconstruction to the Haitians themselves.

A crowd of about 100 protesters has blocked the entrance to the U.N. military headquarters in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, spraying anti-U.N. slogans on vehicles and carrying banners saying “Down with the occupation!” while news comes that U.N. peacekeeping forces will remain in the beleaguered country for an additional year.

Rebel militias in the Democratic Republic of the Congo carried out mass rapes in the eastern part of the country in July and August. Now U.N.-backed Congolese “peacekeeping” troops are being accused of murdering and raping villagers in the same area. So ... who are the good guys, again?

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has braved pro-government protests to visit a refugee camp in Darfur, where he said he was “shocked and humbled” by the “hardship all these tens of thousands of people were undergoing.” Residents at the camp gave the world’s top diplomat a warm greeting, chanting “Welcome, welcome Ban Ki-moon.”

The United Nations has begun a renewed effort to address the ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has promised to give the crisis his full attention, though many world leaders have made similar commitments to no avail.

The U.N. Security Council has approved plans to create a peacekeeping force in Darfur, but will not deploy the troops until Sudan agrees. The force of up to 22,500 would “replace or absorb” the 7,000 African Union soldiers whose mandate expires Sept. 30. (h/t: Think Progress)

Not to be outdone by the Italians, France has raised its troop commitment to 2,000, hoping to retain its leadership role in the peacekeeping effort in Lebanon. Kofi Annan was initially displeased with Europe’s response to the call for a peacekeeping force.

Italy’s prime minister has tentatively offered to take the leadership role in Lebanon’s peacekeeping mission with a deployment of 3,000 troops. France, which was to lead the mission, has offered only 200 troops after expressing concern over the force’s mandate.